Who else but Whole Foods Market could create a cookbook so fresh, so appealing, so full of valuable information, and so perfect for the way we are all cooking and eating today? Bursting with winning recipes, healthful cooking advice, cheerful guidance through the new language of natural foods, wine and cheese information, and a comprehensive glossary, this is a “thank goodness it’s here” kind of cookbook.

The world’s largest natural and organic supermarket has created 350 contemporary recipes that are destined to become new classics. Whole Foods Market presents the most popular dishes from their prepared foods section, combined with brand-new recipes that showcase the wide variety of delicious ingredients available today. Far from “crunchy granola” fare, sophisticated recipes include Shrimp and Scallop Chalupas, Hazelnut Crusted Pork Loin, Thai-Style Green Curry Chicken, Griddled Sesame and Garlic Tofu with Wilted Bok Choy, Honey Jalapeño Barbecue Sauce, and Maple Butterscotch Macadamia Blondies. From meat and fish to tofu and vegetables, kid-friendly dishes to one-pot meals, the choices are dazzling, and with more than 200 of the recipes either vegetarian or vegan, the options are diverse.

But the recipes are just the beginning. Steve Petusevsky and Whole Foods Market Team Members shed light on the confusing world of natural foods, presenting interesting, accessible information and all kinds of helpful cooking advice. The Whole Foods Market Cookbook is as welcoming and fun as a trip to one of their stores. Find out the answers to questions such as:

How do I cook quinoa?What are the different kinds of tofu, and how do I know which to buy?How should I stock a great natural foods pantry?What are good alternatives to wheat pasta?What does “organic” mean?

A glossary with more than 150 definitions provides a great reference for all of the terms and ingredients that have been edging their way into our vocabularies and kitchens. With recipe bonuses, tips from the team, variations, sidebars, and 30 menu suggestions, this is the natural foods guide that so many of us have been waiting for.

Product Description

From Amazon

The first Whole Foods Market, selling only minimally processed natural and organic products, opened in 1980. In response to all the customers who ever asked, "How do I cook this?", chef Steve Petusevsky and the Whole Foods Market team members present The Whole Foods Market Cookbook, an enormous collection of healthy recipes, filled with comprehensive explanations and descriptions.

Many of the recipes are longtime customer favorites. The "Big and Small Salads" chapter includes Sonoma Chicken Salad, a bestseller made with sweet red grapes, crunchy pecans, and a creamy, sweet-and-sour poppy seed dressing. Thirty-five soups and chilis include a heartwarming Roasted Corn Poblano Chowder and a rich, fragrant Sweet Potato Chili. There are a multitude of vegetarian and vegan recipes in every chapter, all clearly marked, and even if that's not what you're looking for they'll have you thinking differently about healthy eating. Try the vegan Lentil and Mushroom Tagine, a traditional Moroccan stew, or the vegetarian Spicy Roasted Eggplant with Sesame Honey, delicious as a side dish or sandwich topping, or as a main course served with noodles or rice.

If you've ever looked for more ways to use tofu (try the Kung Pao), seitan, millet, quinoa, or mung bean sprouts, or if you'd rather make meals heavy on flavor and nutrition and light on fat and artificial additives, The Whole Foods Market Cookbook offers 350 delicious, well-tested solutions. --Leora Y. Bloom

From Publishers Weekly

The Whole Foods Market has been a pioneering natural-foods-oriented alternative supermarket since it opened in 1980, and their broadly appealing cookbook reflects a gourmet approach to healthy food. Appetizers such as the Spicy Chickpea Patties with Cilantro, Lime and Chilies and such soups as Sweet Potato, Corn and Kale Chowder have flavor kicks often missing from other health-conscious cookbooks. One-Pot Meals such as Spicy Mac and Cheese and Thai-Style Green Curry Chicken abound, along with hearty salads and sandwiches like the Mediterranean Tuna Salad and the Mushroom Goat-Cheese Quesadillas. Naturally, there are plenty of vegetarian and vegan recipes, such as Kung Pao Tofu and vegan French Onion Soup. Main courses such as Athenian Chicken Roll-Ups, Lime Seared Scallops over Baby Spinach and Firecracker Shrimp emphasize fish and white meats. Sauces and dips such as the low fat Buttermilk Ranch dressing and the Spinach Artichoke dip double as marinades or toppings. The uneven Cooking with Kids chapter is sandwiched between some great smoothie and drink recipes, and to cap it off there's a dessert chapter with Lemon Lime Bars and Unbaked Brownies. Recipes include nutritional information. A glossary and information panels throughout the book explain how to do everything from storing chilies to keeping vegetables from losing their color. This ambitious book is one of few that both vegetarians and omnivores keen on gourmet-quality organic foods will embrace.Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Most helpful customer reviews

I've been a regular shopper at Whole Foods Market for years and I've been waiting for the company to put out a cookbook with some of their own great recipes, like Ed's Tantalizing Tofu, for the home cook. So when this book finally appeared, I was one of the first in line for it. Unfortunately, it's not what I'd hoped for.I have no complaints about the ingredients list, that's why I shop at WFM -- beautiful fresh, organic produce, all varieties of grain and pasta products, and a wide assortment of gourmet and International foods not found in other stores. For many of my favorite cookbooks [like Nina Simonds' Asian Noodles] Whole Foods Market provides one-stop shopping.The problem I have with the book is that of the half-dozen or so recipes I tried, I had to make repairs midway through the making, or the flavors or ingredients didn't come together as I expected, or the end product just plain didn't taste good. I was left with beautiful food made into lousy meals.If you're looking for great-tasting recipes tailor-made for WFM shoppers, I'm afraid you'll have to wait a little while longer. This one should be sent back to the test kitchen.

I have made six or seven recipes out of this book--mostly soups and vegetables. They have all turned out quite good, and popular with my non-health-food-eating friends as well. The Spicy Mung Bean Soup, Asian Braised Greens, and Red Beans and Rice are particularly delicious. The tips on natural cooking in the beginning are excellent, and make stepping into the kitchen a fast and simple operation. The book is also consistent with the rules of cuisine and flavor-building, and the recipes are geared towards maximum flavor enhancement (someone put a lot of thought into these). Use of sea salt (commonly recommended by naturopaths as 'healthier' b/c it contains natural iodine) may make things too salty--try using kosher salt instead in the recipes. Use of fresh spices, not old ones that have been hanging around the kitchen for years, is a must. And of course, only the freshest produce. This book is great to have around as a fast reference for a healthy meal because the recipes are simple for the most part, sound delicious when you read them and therefore tempt you to cook them, and ultimately the food is good for you. An added benefit is that you can easily refer to it if you forget your ingredients list when shopping at Whole Foods, as they stock it in the book section. It's one of my most frequently used cookbooks (although a little pricey for a paperback). Definitely a good buy if you like this kind of cuisine, and have a modest understanding of cooking.

As a vegetarian for 12 years and a former Whole Foods Market Team Member for five years, I think this book is a great representation of what Whole Foods Market food is about. Other reviewers have pointed out that some of the recipes are high in fat or sodium. As a former TM and cheese specialist, I can assure you that though some Whole Foods customers do follow an ascetic diet, (and the stores offer many items in accordance with that practice) that has never been the focus of the company when it comes to food. To think that WFM serves just that "health food" customer is to really miss the mark. Full flavor, small producers, specialty items, and natural ingredients are what WFM food is about, not low-fat, low-sodium cuisine.The cookbook has a great range of appealing and store-tested recipes with strong vegetable components and an international flavor palette. The recipes are quite accessible for the book's intended audience and aren't overly complicated or long--they focus on getting the best out of fresh ingredients with a minimum of fuss. This is where home cooking should be going. There may be ingredients that are not in average home pantries, but as a WFM cookbook, that's as it should be.There are lots of vegetarian and vegan recipes, though vegans may want to check out the book in person (as is usually the case) to make sure they're getting enough recipes for things they will enjoy. Even the meat recipes give tips on how the marinade or seasoning can be used for non-meat items.For those with a little trepidation in approaching unfamiliar ingredients, there is a great glossary in the back of the book as well as some nice menu suggestions. The other appendices are a small wine guide and a cheese guide.Read more ›

If you are thinking this a book for recipes containing sea weed and soy beans, and an aura of good nature, you will get all three but mostly you will get some great recipes. This book isn't about extreme diets that the majority of the population in the US eats, but its about good food. As others have stated all recipes in this book do not always watch salt and fat intake, we will assume if you are on a specialized diet you will follow it. While fat in the diet may be bad for anyone that doesn't eat it in moderation, it makes some things taste better. Each recipe does contain all nutritional info such as calories, fat saturated and unsaturated, cholestrol, so you are armed with the info you need to make wise choices.Let's look at the wonderful range of recipes, Whole Foods has always had a unique position catering to Vegetarians, and Meat Eaters, this book accomodates both very well. If you are Vegan you may want to thumb through a copy before you purchase as there tend to be a fewer amount of recipes for Vegans. Recipes include things like Chipotle Potato Salad which was just yummy, Creole Rice and Bean Soup, Panang Green Pea Soup, all sorts of delicious desserts, salads, and much more. If you are a person that likes to experiment with the every day, this book is for you.There is a recipe on each page. Each recipe is written very clearly and the instructions are easy to follow. Most recipes have a paragraph about each recipe. For example the Chipotle peppers are really dried jalopeno peppers that are smoked, I found this out when I made the Chipolte Potato Salad. The recipes are something you would like to make for company. I personally loved this book, and the variety of recipes found in here.